Users of wireless and mobile networking technologies are increasingly using their mobile devices to communicate as well as send and receive data. With increased data communications on wireless networks the strain on the limited resources for telecommunications is also increasing.
To handle the increasing amount of wireless services to an increasing numbers of users, efficient use of the available radio network resources has become important. Device to Device (D2D) communications allows mobile users to directly communicate with each other with little or no burden on a wireless network. The D2D communication can occur when closely located devices are enabled to communicate with each other directly instead of using a conventional communications links such as a Wi-Fi or cellular communications system. Accordingly, device to device (D2D) services allows for communication between devices within range of an access point such as an enhanced node B (eNB) of a network and allows meeting increased demand on telecommunications systems. One of the first steps to enable D2D communication involves discovery of devices capable of D2D communication.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.